Hazard Profile of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka being a small island in the Indian Ocean in the path of two monsoons is mostly affected by weather related hazards. Floods mostly due to monsoonal rain or effects of low pressure systems and droughts due to failure of monsoonal rain are the most common hazards experienced in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is also prone to hazards such as landslides, lightning strikes, coastal erosion, epidemics and effects of environmental pollution.

In 2004, almost two-thirds of the Sri Lankan coast was affected by the Indian Ocean tsunami highlighting the country’s vulnerability to low-frequency but high impact events.

People affected by different disasters in Sri Lanka (1974-2004)

Based on information available on the people affected by natural disasters during the period 1974-2004 is given in the figure above which clearly identifies floods, drought, tsunami, storm and landslides as the most common natural disasters in Sri Lanka.